One for every three people’: What are New Zealand’s gun laws?

Wellington: Friday’s horror massacre at two mosques in Christchurch, which has left 49 dead, is the first mass shooting in New Zealand in nearly 30 years.

Thirteen
people, including two six-year-old children, were killed in the town of
Aramoana, north-east of Dunedin, on November 13, 1990, when David Gray went on
a shooting rampage armed with two military style semi-automatic rifles.

New Zealand’s gun laws are considered more
relaxed than Australia’s.

The
massacre prompted a tightening of New Zealand’s gun laws, which were first
passed in 1983. However they are still considered more relaxed than many other
countries outside the United States.

The reason for this is that, unlike Australia,
there is no system of registration for the majority of guns in New Zealand.

There are believed to be 1.5
million guns in New Zealand, one for every three people. In Australia, there
are 3.15 million guns – one for every eight people.

Owning or using a firearm in New
Zealand does require a licence. Applicants must be over 16 and pass a
background check by New Zealand Police to check whether they are a “fit
and proper person”.

A history of violence, relationships with criminals, a repeated
involvement with drugs, or irresponsible consumption of alcohol are some of the
reasons why someone might be denied a licence.

Carrying a gun is only permitted for those with a “lawful,
proper, and sufficient purpose”, such as hunting, pest control or sports
shooting. Self-defence is not considered a reason to have a gun.

Two referees, including one spouse or parent, must be able to
attest to an applicant’s suitability to carry a gun in an interview with
police. An arms officer from New Zealand Police will also pay a visit to their
home to inspect security of the guns.

Applicants must also attend a gun safety lecture and pass a
test, where they have to get 28 out of 30 answers right.

A firearms licence is valid for 10 years unless it is revoked or
surrendered sooner. Gun owners can have their licence taken away if they are
thought to be perpetrators of family violence.

Once approved, the licence allows a person to have or use a
rifle or shotgun. Special permits are required for pistols, military-style
semi-automatic weapons and other restricted categories such as machine guns and
rocket launchers.

Unlike rifles and shotguns, those guns must be registered with
police. However there is some concern that unregistered guns can be easily
modified to perform like military-style semi-automatic weapons.

There is also a provision that allows unlicensed shooters to use
a gun, however they must be in the presence of an authorised firearm user.

Anyone buying a gun will need to show their licence to a dealer. Buying a gun online or through mail order requires a police approved form.